


STOP THE MADNESS

by chitwncat



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Talk of Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2019-01-01 06:07:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12150261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chitwncat/pseuds/chitwncat
Summary: Story picks up in hospital after Liv's drugging.  Robert confronts Aaron and realizes everything has now gone to far and he needs to take action to clean up his mess.  Aaron, Adam and Liv figure out what Robert is planning and need to stop him.  Can Aaron and Adam find him in time?  Can they change his mind? Will Aaron have some new realizations?





	STOP THE MADNESS

**Author's Note:**

> This came to me after Monday's episode. I thought about how hurt and frustrated Robert would be knowing how Liv almost died because of him and the mess he has created with Rebecca and all of the White's. I wanted to see Robert decide to take action to clean up his mess in the only way he could think of the clean it up that would also set Aaron and Liv free forever. I did not intend to releave Robert of his mistakes or to excuse. But, I did what to create a situation that would force Aaron to finally address his feelings when facing a potential tragedy if he doesn't do anything. I also like to make Liv the smart one who can see through both Aaron's and Robert's walls to know what they are always thinking. Hope you enjoy

"But don't ever say I didn't love him. I never stopped. I always will."

He couldn't believe how easy it was to bare his soul to her. He loved her so much and it was killing him that he would never get these moments with her ever again. 

=======

Robert caught himself day dreaming again. Thinking of just three days ago when Liv had confronted him after getting back from Dublin. She had been the first person who actually listened when he let his feelings out. Everyone else have always had their own opinions and never cared what he thought, but not Liv. Sure she had her own feelings she had to let out but in the end she actually listened to him and talked to him calmly and more adult like than any of the adults that he had been around of late. But then she had to come to Home Farm and confront Rebecca again. She couldn't resist telling Rebecca what Robert had confessed to her the day before possibly ruining everything hr had been planning. In the end Robert had no choice but to act like Liv was lying and just trying to hurt Rebecca. He was to harsh on her and after yelling at her she stole Robert's car keys and the bottle of brandy that was spiked with sleeping pills. A bad situation just got worse. 

Now she is in the hospital having drank most of the spiked brandy intended for Lawrence. She was out of the woods and would get better but the damage had already been done. Aaron now actually hated him more than anything. He had even threatened to kill Robert if Liv had not survived and he believed that Aaron would have without hesitation if it had come to that. He saw that there is no longer any love for him of any kind in Aaron's heart and that destroyed him more than he thought it ever could. 

So Robert maybe the decision. The only decision that he knew was right. He would speed up his plans and bring it all to an end this week. He had to end this nightmare. He had to destroy this family that had destroyed his life and he had to make sure that he ended with them. It was imperative to him that he would never be around to ever hurt Aaron and Liv anymore. Robert knew there was only one way to ever ensure he couldn't hurt either of them again. But he had to do one thing first.

He found himself walking down the hall to Liv's room when he saw Adam standing in front of the door. At that moment Adam turned and saw him coming and quickly approached Robert with fury in his eyes.

"I can't believe you are here. You need to get out of here Robert before I put you in your own hospital bed."

"Adam, you can act as big and tough as you want but you know you aren't going to do a thing here in this hall. Now, I'm going in there to say my peace and then I'll be gone for good so you can either stand to the side and let me pass or I'll shove your head through that glass window first."

Adam had never heard Robert speak like that before so he knew something was up. He had no desire to start anything in the hospital and he couldn't believe Robert would actually try anything in Liv's room either so he hesitated for a moment then let Robert pass only to quickly follow him into her room.

When the door opened Aaron looked up and felt immediate rage when he saw Robert walking through the door. He was about to jump up to attack him when he saw Adam following him and giving Aaron the sign to calm down. 

"Get out of this room Robert. I do not want you here. I can't believe you have the gall to show your face around here."

"How is she?"

"You think I am going to tell you anything? Get out NOW."

"The sooner you tell me how she is the sooner I'm out of your life for good."

Aaron felt a little jolt in his thoughts when Robert said that. It wasn't what he was expecting to hear. What did he mean by being out of his life for good.

"Sooo, how is she."

Aaron watched Robert for a moment to see if he could detect anything. All he saw was sadness and determination.

"The doctors say she is going to be fine. The worst is past. She'll be in here another day and then they want her to start some counseling because of her drinking."

"Good, good. I hope you make her stick with the counseling. She needs to get past all of this drinking and get her life back on track. That will be easier to do here shortly."

"What do you mean by that Robert? What are you trying to say."

"I'm saying I want you to take care of her Aaron. She's my little sister and I love her more than anything. I want her to grow up to be a strong well educated independent women that gets everything she ever wanted in her life."

"You act like you aren't going to see her again."

Robert couldn't respond. He found himself starting to choke up and he knew if he tried to speak he would break down so he just looked at the floor by his feet and didn't say anything.

"Robert, answer me."

"You're right. I don't think I'll be seeing her or you again so please make sure she grows up into the woman I know you want her to be."

"What's that suppose to me Robert. What are you trying to pull over me this time."

"Nothing Aaron. But I do need to ask two favors of you."

"You have got to be kidding. After this."

"Aaron, I need you to guarantee that you don't let her go anywhere near Home Farm this week. Even if you have to tie her up and lock her in her room. Don't let her step foot on that property."

"Robert....."

"No... let me finish. And the second thing I need from you Aaron. No matter what happens in the future I need you to know that I love you more than anything in this world and that I always will even after I'm out gone. I want you to know you were the best thing that ever happened and I'm sorry how I have fucked everything up in your and Liv's lives. It was never intended. I hope you know that. But it happened and now I have to pay the consequences. Aaron, I want you to always remember that you are the strongest person ever and that you always deserve to be loved. There is someone out there for you that will love you unconditionally and when they find you I want you to be the happiest person alive."

"Whatever Robert. I don't care anymore. Just go do one. You can drop dead as far as I'm concerned."

Robert just looked at Aaron. His felt one more knife to his heart from Aaron but it didn't matter anymore. So he just nodded at Aaron like he understood.

"Don't worry. Your wish is my command. Just keep Liv away from Home Farm and all will be good. You'll get your wish." With that Robert turned and left the room as he gave one last look at Adam too.

Adam turned to look at Aaron with a little bit of a shock on his face. "He is planning something and I don't think it is good."

"What do I care?"

"Oh Aaron, you might be able to fool some but you don't fool me when it comes to your feelings toward Robert."

"He almost killed Liv. He broke my heart. He's having a kid with Rebecca. How am I suppose to feel Adam?"

"Mad. Hurt. Frustrated. Heartbroken. But don't tell me you have stopped loving him. Don't tell me you don't care and don't try to pretend if he was gone you'd be fine. I don't enjoy having you lie to me."

Aaron let out a big sigh. Adam was right. He still loves Robert more than anything but he just hurts so much from everything that has happened that he doesn't know what to do. Robert has hurt him so much but despite everything that has happened he can't get the man out of his thoughts or his heart. He was Robert, his Robert and all he wants to do is hold him in his arms and tell him everything is going to be all right but he knows it isn't.

"Regardless of how I feel Ad, I just don't know how it is possible to come back from everything that has happened."

Adam could see the turmoil in his best mates face and at the same time he could tell he really hadn't grasped everything Robert had told him but Adam had and it scared him. Robert is planning something and it doesn't sound good. Robert also sounded very fatalistic telling them he wouldn't be around much longer to bother them. It didn't sound like he was just leaving Emmerdale either. It sounded must more permanent than that.

"Based on what he just said I don't think you are going to have to worry about it much more."

Aaron was now frowning at Adam not knowing what he is talking about.

"We're you not listening to him? He planning something and doesn't care about the aftermath either. If I was a White right now I'd be scared."

Aaron looked at Adam for a moment before it sank in what Ad had just said. His eyes then began to grow big as he thought about it.

"He wouldn't do anything like that. What about the baby? His son?"

"He doesn't care."

Both Aaron and Adam jumped when they heard the small voice coming from the bed. Liv had been awake for awhile and had heard everything since Robert had entered the room.

"Liv"

"Hey trouble. How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know if you don't do something to stop Robert we are going to regret it for the rest of our lives."

"What are you talking about?"

"You aren't that stupid Aaron. Even I could tell what Rob was talking about and I 'm still halfway out of it."

Aaron and Adam just look at her with big question marks across their faces.

"Oh good grief. I can't believe how naive and ignorant you are. He's planning on getting rid of them. All of them because he believes they have ruined everything in his life and then he's planning on getting rid of himself too. I don't mean by moving away either."

"How do you know this."

"Because it's written all over his face. I heard it in his voice too when we spoke the other day. He wants them all off the face of the planet and he plans on joining them."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Robert wouldn't do anything as brazen as that. Surely not.

"He would never do anything like that. What about his son?"

"Aaron he's broken. Completely broken by you ending it with him. He blames her and that entire family. He hates Rebecca with a passion and he absolutely hates and deplores the idea of that baby. He wants them both dead. He also hates himself so much that he wouldn't hesitate to kill himself too. He feels like he and them have ruined everything and they all have to pay for it."

"He told you all of that?"

"He didn't have to. It was as plain as day. Why do you think he was drugging Lawrence? Everything he has been doing lately has been him setting them up so he can wipe them all out."

"But why?"

"Geez Aaron you really are that dumb and stupid. He is doing this because he thinks everything thats happened just proves he is a waste of a human being that no one ever really loved and who no one should love."

Aaron is just frowning at her.

Liv sighs. "He is just like you. You sit around believing you don't deserve to be loved and that no one ever sticks around to love you when in reality you end up pushing them away and never give them the chance to leave you if they actually ever felt that way. Robert is no different. He thinks he doesn't deserve to be loved and that no one wants to love him. In the end he thinks he will always be sent away. Just like what his father did to him. Just like what you did to him Aaron."

"But you would have done the same thing if he had done that to you Liv. Sleep with someone else."

"But I wouldn't have pushed him away in the first place. I've only been back a few days and I can already see what all has happened. I can't believe no one else can. Either you are all just idiots or you don't want to see it and are willing to just let him walk away and do what he is about to do."

Aaron just shakes his head at her like he doesn't believe her.

"It is so obvious why he slept with her Aaron."

"Yeah, because he still loved her."

"Oh my God. You actually believe that don't you? He did it because he couldn't stand the thought of you ending the marriage because of your demons. He made sure the marriage ended because of his actions, not yours."

"That makes no sense Liv."

"Of course it does. To him, if your marriage was going to end it was going to end because of him. Not because of your fears. He wasn't going to let you believe that you were the cause of them breaking up. He'd rather take that burden instead of you having it."

"But the marriage wasn't going to end. I wasn't breaking up with him that day at the prison."

"And, he knew that how?"

"Because he should know I never mean what I say in those situations."

Liv and Adam just look at him like he has three heads. Neither could believe what was coming out of his mouth. 

"What? Well, he shouldn't. After all this time he should know."

"He's not a mind reading Aaron" said Adam. "None of us are."

"Aaron, what was he suppose to think. You had stopped talking to both us. At least stopped telling us what was going on with you inside. We were coming on visits and seeing you were getting into fights but not telling him anything. You were using drugs and he was totally oblivious to it until I had to tell him and I was feeling so guilty for weeks keeping your secret from him. Then after he called you on your drug use and what you were risking with the appeal you told him you didn't care and then you told him he was of no use to him anymore and you didn't want him around. Then you got up and chose to go back to your cell and the people who were hurting you instead of staying there and talking it through you him. So what in the hell was he suppose to think Aaron?"

Aaron didn't respond. He was more surprised that Liv knew everything. When had Robert told her all of that? It had to just been in the last three days didn't it? It was Adam though that had the most shocked look of any of them. He stood up looking sick to his stomach while looking directly at Aaron and getting a disgusted look in his eyes.

"You did all of that? Everything Liv just said is true? You were using drugs all that time? I don't even know you right Aaron. You let me believe Robert had been completely at fault. You let me treat him like the worse person alive. I threatened to beat him up because of how abusive I thought he had been to you but that wasn't the case at all."

Aaron was shocked looking at Adam. How did this all happen. One minute they were all sitting her being concerned about his sister and now everyone is mad at him. For what? What is he suppose to do? Forgive Robert for sleeping with Rebecca? Act like it never happened?

"Ad..."

"Aaron don't talk to me right now. I can't believe you let this all spiral out of control. You knew you had pushed Robert and yet you act all innocent like that didn't matter and Robert is still the only one in the wrong. You know, I saw him that night. I was still working on your house when he showed up. He was completely wasted. His bottle of whisky was almost gone and he could barely stand up. I could see in his eyes he was distraught about something that was killing him. There was pain etched across his face like I had never seen before and I was to uncaring to do anything about it. Oh I asked what was wrong but he just waved me off and told me to leave. When I offered to help him back to the pub he just yelled at me that nothing mattered anymore. I should have known something had happened with you but I let his comment slide. Left him alone. Even after that, back at the pub, I was telling Vic about his condition and she jumped up and was going to head over there to check on him but I told her not to. To let him work through whatever was bothering him. God, I'm so stupid. I had so many chances to help him but Robert never gets upset or distraught so I figured he was just fine. If I only knew you had once again pushed him away and this time he couldn't do anything about it with you inside."

Liv had tears in her eyes listening to Adam talk about that night. My God, how stupid was her brother. 

"And you know what else as I stand here thinking about that night. The whole time I was telling Vic about the condition Robert was in Rebecca was sitting right there about four seats over with Ross listening to every word I was saying. So she knew what condition he was in even before she headed over to the Mill herself. Then she let it happen. It doesn't matter what Robert wanted or said or did. When I saw him he was completely drunk and unable to make any decisions of any kind. She had to know that when she got there and saw him. She had to see he was in no condition for anything. "

Adam was now pacing the room while Aaron just sat there watching still not figuring out what Adam was thinking and why all of a sudden he was so furious at him and everything else connected to what had happened.

Liv is now looking at Adam getting concerned. "Adam, your thinking about something and I don't like the look on your face."

"I knew Robert was drunk. I knew he was beyond making any rational decisions but yet I allowed myself to believe you Aaron and everyone else when they all said Robert was the one at fault and the only one at fault in what happened that night. But that isn't the case at all and no one wants to say it."

"Say what?"

"If the tables were turned and Rebecca had been the drunk one and Robert showed up like she did and had sex with her, you know what everyone would be calling him right now. It wouldn't matter if she had initiated it or wanted it. She would have been legally drunk and not able to make those decisions. Robert would have been found guilty."

Suddenly it hit Aaron what Adam was trying to say. He had never thought of that. Robert hadn't even hinted it. He had just told him that he slept with Rebecca and that was that. He had taken him on his word and just assumed it had all been Robert's doing because he wanted to be with Rebecca instead of him. 

"Oh my God Adam. You guys have got to find him and stop him from whatever he is about to do. I mean it." Liv was panicking now.

Aaron is looking at his sister now realizing that she is starting to get upset.

"Liv, you need to calm down."

"Calm down. How am I suppose to calm down when my brother is about to top himself."

Aaron's head raised up instantly hearing those words. "What do you mean top himself?"

"Just what we were saying earlier. He's going to get rid of the Whites and then himself. He's messed up in his head right and thinks no one loves him or cares. Especially you. He's planning to get rid of his problem and then get rid of your problem is how I suspect he is looking at it about now and you just shrugged it off with him and even told him you hoped he died."

"But I didn't...... " Aaron stopped himself before he finished the sentence because he suddenly realized what he was doing again. He suddenly realized that Liv and Adam were right and he had been totally blind to everything.

"So what am I suppose to do now?"

Liv just frowned while pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You stop him. That is what you do. You get off your butt right now and the two of you go find him and make sure he doesn't do what he is planning to do. You lock him in the boot of your car if you have to. Then you apologize for being an idiot and for being stupid and ignorant."

Aaron is now just looking at Liv very perplexed.

"I'm not kidding Aaron. Get off your ass now. You and Adam go find Robert and bring him back to me now." Aaron continues to just look at her. "I said NOW"

Aaron jumps up and both he and Adam begin to leave the room before Liv stops them one more time.

"Just so you know Aaron. If anything bad happens to Robert, I am going to repeat to you what you told him a couple of days ago. If anything bad happens to my other brother because of you, I'll kill you myself Aaron. I'm not letting my family be destroyed because of this. So get out there and go find him."

===========

Aaron and Adam started at the obvious places to look for Robert. Vic's, the pub, the scrap yard but he wasn't at any of them. They then drove out to Home Farm and even though the property sets back from the road quite a bit they could see his car wasn't there either. So where was he? They continued to look throughout the area but couldn't find him anyway. Adam suggested they go back to Vic's and check his room for anything. So they headed back to the village. Adam still had a key so they let themselves in and went to Robert's room. It was so small, Vic's little box room, but Robert had been forced to stay there so many times in recent years that he knew how to make it work and fit most of his essentials. 

Aaron though, couldn't help but notice how sparse the room was. There really wasn't that much in the wardrobe or the dresser. Just enough of the basics for Robert to get by. He knew Robert had a lot more clothes than what was here. There were still a few of his things at the Mill but not much. He had taken most all of it when he was forced to leave. So where is everything. They decided to check the garage. That is where they found the boxes. Robert had sorted all of his possessions and already had them boxed up with tags that listed the items that were to go to Vic, Liv and himself plus the largest box of all listed as donations which included most of his clothes. 

Aaron couldn't help but open his box. What had Robert put in there. He didn't look to deep because right on top of everything was the ring box. Aaron opened it and both wedding rings were in their proper places. Cleaned and polished as if they had never been worn. Aaron's heart sunk. He hadn't even noticed that Robert didn't have his ring on. When had he taken it off? He felt himself rubbing his index finger on top of both rings. He didn't know why he was doing it but it just felt like he needed to touch them. In fact after a brief moment he decided he needed ot do more and he grabbed the box and stuck it in his pocket. Their wedding rings were not going to sit in a box in Vic's garage.

Adam had been watching Aaron this whole time wondering what was going on in his mind. He had known Aaron hadn't stopped loving Robert all this time even though he had done his part to try to help him get over him but he knew he hadn't. He also knew today had been very trying for his best mate. Liv's accident and then having to face his feelings and then open his mind to what was happening with Robert now. How was that man coping with all of this Adam would never know. Then out of the blue a thought hit Adam.

"How long has he been planning this?"

"What are you on about?"

"This. All of this. All of this sorting and packing. This didn't just get done since Liv's accident. He's been planning this for awhile to have all of his belongings sorted like this all ready to be distributed."

Aaron just looked at Adam with horror on his face. His Robert has been planning to end everything for some time now and he was to caught up in himself to even notice. What kind of person does that make him? 

"We have got to find him now Adam."

They leave the garage immediately and decide to check the scrap yard again. See if he left anything there that would give them a clue.

At the yard, inside the port-a-cabin, Aaron immediately started to go through Robert's desk. It was in the second drawer that he found them. There were five envelopes addressed to Aaron, Liv, Vic, Diane and Andy. He could feel that the envelope to him was three times thicker than any of the others. Aaron was feeling sick to his stomach as he also felt what was left of his heart was shattering into a million pieces.

Then he saw the big brown envelopes. There were three of them and they all had printed return addresses of some law office in Leeds. Each envelope was clearing marked in black marker that they were to only be opened by Aaron Dingle of Emmerdale Mill Cottage. There was a small envelope with the first one that Aaron opened and saw it was a legal document that Robert had drawn up to make Aaron his power of attorney and the executor of his estate. It stated that only Aaron had the power to make decisions about Robert's estate but that Robert had already laid out all of the plans to make it easy for Aaron to follow his wishes and requirements. He then saw that each of the three large envelopes were labeled. Robert's will. Robert's portfolio. Robert's funeral plans.

He had almost thrown up when he read the label on the last envelope. Robert had already laid out his funeral plans. He could only imagine. He opened that envelope and pulled out the papers with the top one being an overview of what was to take place. Robert had spelled out that he wanted to be cremated and that he did not want a funeral of any kind, a wake or a grave and grave marker. He had not been wanted in Emmerdale so he did not want his ashes left there. He did not want to be remembered. He wanted his ashes taken somewhere far from Yorkshire and disposed of like the weekly trash. He had left instruction that Cain Dingle was to be in charge of disposing of his ashes because he new he would gladly follow these instructions to dispose of his remains. His finally statement was the most disheartening. He stated that no one loved him when he was alive so he was refusing to allow anyone to pretend to care for him when he was dead. He expected to be tossed out and forgotten about.

Aaron couldn't read anymore. He jumped up from the desk and just barely made it outside before he threw up. When Adam saw what Aaron was doing he went to read what Aaron had been reading. He was shocked after reading Robert's thoughts and wishes. He was beginning to see that Robert was this whole other person that he really never knew. Probably no one did outside of maybe Aaron.

To Adam Robert had always been this bigger than life personality. He was arrogant and so full of himself but he was also smart, very smart and those that he cared for he loved with a passion that Adam seldom saw from anybody else. He was beginning to see that there was a lot to Robert that he never knew. There was a whole other humble and deprecating side to him that didn't believe anyone had ever loved him or that he ever deserved to be loved. That was not the Robert Sugden he was use to seeing but it was right there in black and white in front of him. Vic would be shattered with these requirements. How could Robert not think she loved him. It didn't make sense to him but that didn't matter right now. He had his best mate to take care of and the two of them had to find Robert now so they didn't have to follow those plans anytime soon.

"I don't know what do to Ad. We've looked everywhere. Did you read those funeral plans? How can he think that way? He actually believes I never loved him. I know I was never good at telling him how I felt but he had to know I loved him."

"Aaron, we've said it before. He's messed up right now. Everything that has happened has screwed up his mind. Of course he knows you loved him before all of this."

"And I still do but I know he probably doesn't believe that. Not after everything I've said to him these past weeks. I've been horrible. It will be my fault if anything happens to him."

"You can't think that way Aaron. He's calling the shots. Not you. All we can do is try to find him and stop him from following through with his plans. So we need a plan of our own."

They sat there for a long while just thinking and looking at each other. It was starting to get late in the afternoon. It was going to start to get dark soon. They needed a plan and they needed it quick.

"OK," Aaron is thinking out loud now. "If he is going to do this I'm thinking it has to be at Home Farm. That is the only place he can make sure they are all there together and away from rest of the village. He wouldn't do it anywhere else."

"So what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we stake out Home Farm and wait for him. He won't just show up and do it. He'll have made plans and want to set things up before hand to better ensure success. So I say we go home grab some warm clothes and water. Make a thermos of coffee. Get a pizza, grab some other snacks then find a place at by Home Farm where we can stake out the place without being seen."

After grabbing everything they needed and after the pizza was delivered they headed back out to Home Farm. They found a spot where their car was hidden and yet they had a clear view of the main house. So they waited and watched as they ate and found random things to talk about. Adam was making a point to not bring up anything connected to Liv or Robert with Aaron. He needed his mate to remain alert and not be getting upset over everything.

It was now dusk and night was setting in quickly. They had been laughing about the latest dating contest between Paddy and Marlon when Aaron suddenly raised his hand and shushed them up. He had seen something move out to the left of them about 100 yards away. His eyes were having a hard time adjusting since it was almost completely dark out. It was probably just an animal but it seemed bigger and then he saw movement again. It was moving quickly close to the ground but then at that moment it stopped and Robert stood up and was looking around. He had some type of bag strapped to his back and it appeared he was carrying some type of container as well. What was he up to?

"What do you we do?" asked Adam.

"I'm going to follow him. We need our flashlights and our phones in case we need to call for help."

They got themselves ready then quietly got out of their car and started to follow Robert toward the house trying to remain as quiet as possible. As they approached the house they remained hidden behind a row of manicured bushes as they let their eyes readjust to the small amount of light coming from the house. They finally saw Robert up against the side of the house but they couldn't see what he was doing. They had to get closer but as they started to move a car suddenly appeared heading up the drive from the main road. At the same time a light turned on the room directly in front of them in the house. It caught them all by surprise as Aaron and Adam watched Robert drop to the ground and lay flat up against the side of the house. They heard the car stop and turn off on the other side of the house along with the car doors closing and voices until they disappeared into the house. Then Aaron turned back to where Robert was and with the added light from the window he finally could make out where Robert was. He was at the main gas meter for the home and he was doing something to the meter. Aaron looked at Adam and they both had a realization at the same time. That was it. Aaron didn't care anymore. This was stopping now.

Aaron moved out from behind the bushes and while Robert was focused on the gas meter he made quick work of the distance between them until he was about 20 feet away when he finally...

"What the hell are you doing Robert?"

He jumped a foot and then almost fell when he turned around and saw Aaron approaching him. 

"Just turn around and go back Aaron. You can't be here."

"No, not without you."

"Aaron, go. Just go. I have to do this."

"What? Murder four people, a fetus and then kill yourself."

"This has nothing to do with you Aaron. You cut your ties with me a long time ago."

"I have, have I? Then why am I here trying to stop you? Why did you pick me to take care of your affairs afterwards and why was I chosen to be the one to throw away your ashes like yesterday trash if our ties were cut a long time ago."

Robert looked back at Aaron again. How did he know about those plans unless he found the paperwork.

"So I gather you been snooping in my desk drawer at the port-a-cabin? And to be fair, it is Cain that I designated to get rid of what will be left of me. I would never ask that of you. Now get out of here so I can finish what needs to be done."

"Robert if you don't stop what your doing and talk to me right now I'm marching into that house and telling that family exactly what your doing."

"Why would you do that. You despise them as much as I do. They have hurt you horribly. Not as much as I have but I know you won't blink an eye with them gone."

"But I will if you are. I will if your son is. So stop this insanity right now because if I don't bring you back to Liv I might as well join you inside the house because she'll kill me anyways."

"You two will be more than fine without me. You'll forget about me in no time. I'll be a forgotten memory. I'm only sorry I ever laid eyes on you in the first place."

"Robert I was a thug who was nicking cars and selling the parts with Ross and Charity before you came along. We had our struggles in the beginning but you have made me a better person. I want to be a good person now and that only happened because you loved me."

Robert turned back to look at Aaron again with tears running down his cheeks. 

"Aaron, I never wanted any of this to happen. I was the happiest I've ever been with you and Liv and yet I still fucked it up."

Aaron finished closing the distance between the two of them and reached up to wipe the tears from Robert's face.

"We both fucked up. Everything you did wasn't done in a vacuum. I was right there beside you making just as many dumb mistakes as you and they all led to what's happened."

"Maybe but you didn't cheat on me Aaron. You didn't go get someone else pregnant and create a new life that shouldn't exist. No, you finally wised up and realized how wrong I was for you and Liv. How much I was hurting you and then you made the right decision to walk away to take care of yourself and leave me behind to deal with my mess. That is what I'm doing now Aaron. Cleaning up my mess."

"Then why am I here right now fighting for you if I have really walked away and left you behind."

"You're feeling guilty but trust me Aaron, in a month it will pass."

"Stop, just stop. I can't listen to you put yourself down like that anymore. I still love you, you idiot or I wouldn't be here. Liv would be here telling you the same thing if she could. Adam is over there caring about you. Vic is back in the village worried sick about you. We can figure this out. We aren't unfixable."

Aaron then remembers and reaches into his pocket, pulls out the ring box and opens it in front of Robert.

"Look at these Rob. Our rings. They are meant to be on our fingers. We can figure this out so we can put these back on. These, are out commitment to each other and they still mean something to me Rob. Do they to you?"

"Of course they do. They mean everything but they are back in that box for a reason aren't they?"

"That reason doesn't have to last forever does it? I'm ready now to figure out how to work past it if you are."

Robert just looked at Aaron. Then looked down at the gas meter and his tools. Then looks at the house before looking back at Aaron and over to Adam who was now standing and in clear view close enough to hear everything. Robert then pointed at the house while still looking at Aaron.

"She is not going away. That baby is not going away. Nothing has changed"

"I know that and that baby, that baby is your son Robert. That baby is a Sugden. A true blood Sugden that will carry the family name into the next generation. You don't want to end that."

"And you still don't want to deal with it. What is the point to having a child if I'm not sharing that child with the only person I love and want to have children with."

"We'll figure something out. But this? This isn't the answer Robert and you know that."

At that moment Robert let loose of the tool he was holding and just dropped to the ground and started crying. Wailing in fact. All of the stress of the past months was rolling out of him. In between sobs Robert tried to speak.

"I.. I can..... I can't go on living without you Aaron."

Aaron grabbed hold of Robert and held on tight. He let the man bury his head into his neck and shoulder as he cried nonstop.

"You won't have to Rob. I'm here. I'm here. You're going to be fine. We're going to be fine."

Robert couldn't stop crying. Aaron could feel him in the process of possibly having a complete breakdown and he knew this was the wrong place to be having one of those. So he signaled Adam to come gather up the tools, clean up the area and take them back to the car while he got Robert out of there.

"Where's your car Robert? Where did you park it? Let's go get it."

"I walked here from the village. When I went into Leeds today to finalize everything with the attorney's I then sold my car at a dealership and just put the money in the account you were going to get. Took a taxi back to Emmerdale wrapped up things at Vic's and the scrap yard and then walked here. I had brought the tools out and hid them in the brush over their before I left for Leeds."

"Then come on. I'll help you back to our car."

After the three of them got back to the car Aaron handed Adam his keys and then he got into the back seat with Rob and let him lay in his lap. Robert continue to cry while Aaron rubbed his back and ran his fingers through his hair trying to help him calm down. 

"It's OK. It's OK Rob. Everything is going to be OK." Aaron just kept telling him this over and over when Adam finally asked where they needed to go.

"Rob. Rob, listen to me. Are you listening. I need two things from you."

Robert raised his head up and was looking at Aaron now.

"I want you to come with me to see Liv. She really wants to see you bad. Will you do that?"

Robert kept looking at Aaron for a moment then he nodded ever so slightly. No one would have noticed if they weren't watching specifically for it.

"And the second thing Rob. It's a lot harder. But after we see Liv I want you to check yourself in to the hospital too. I want you to get some help and get to feeling better about yourself. I'll be there the whole way with you. So will Liv. Will you do that for me? For us? For all three of us? For our little family?"

"I'll do anything for you Aaron. You have always known that."

"Yes, but I also need you to want to do this for yourself too. It won't matter if you're only doing it for me and Liv. You have to want to get better yourself too."

"I don't want to hurt like this anymore. I don't want to always be hurting everyone I love too. That has to stop if I am to keep living. If this is what I have to do to make it stop then OK. But, I don't want anybody else to know what I am or why I'm there. Can you promise me that?"

"Adam, Liv and myself will be the only ones that know. We won't even tell Vic if you don't want us to. We'll figure out what to tell others when they start asking. OK?"

Aaron leaned down and kissed Robert's temple and then the top of his head as the older man laid his head back down on Aaron's lap. Aaron was going to take care of him and that is all that mattered to Robert at that moment.

==========

Back at the hospital it was past visiting hours but Aaron still led Robert to Liv's room and promised the nurses they wouldn't be long at all. When they entered Liv's room she sat up in her bed and grinned as she saw Robert follow Aaron in. Aaron stepped to the side so Robert could go to Liv's bed. She already had her arms out reaching for a hug before he got there and pulled her into the tightest hug hey had ever had while both of them started crying. Aaron couldn't keep the tears from his own eyes as he watched his two favorite people reconnect. 

"I'm so, so sorry Liv. All of this is my fault. All of it. You should have never been in here."

Liv pulls herself back to look at Rob. "I made my own decision that day. To skip school and come to Home Farm. To confront Rebecca again and to yell at you. Then instead of just leaving I made the decision to steal the booze and your car keys. You didn't make me do any of that."

"But I'm the one that put us all in the mess to begin with it."

Liv just starts shaking her head at Robert.

"You might have slept with Barbie but the rest of us played our own roles in this fiasco. Aaron started taking drugs and wasn't telling us what was happening to him. I kept his secret from you while making things worse as well with my skiving from school. Plus, my drinking and partying. Chas took off for Prague and left everything for you to deal with on your own. Charity dumped Noah on you without even asking. None of the other Dingles lifted one finger to try to help you take care of everything you were trying to take care of. Everything isn't just on you. The rest of us played our parts too. You're just the one that has ended up taking all the blame while the rest us turned our backs on you."

"That's right Rob. Everything Liv said is right." Rob turned around to see that Adam had now joined them in the room. 

"I never lifted a finger to help you and I knew you were struggling. So did Vic and she was just as guilty as me. I knew you were at the scrap yard all hours in the middle of the night tearing down cars for Aaron in the pitch of night and I never came to help or even to let you know I knew what you were doing or that I appreciated it. You kept the business afloat with Aaron inside and with Vic and me having our issues too. And that night. I new you were already drunk when you got the Mill. I new something had happened on your visit and you were hurting and I still let you push me out the door. That is not what mates do for each other so I apologize for not being there for you Rob like you were there for Aaron every minute he was inside."

"Rob, we've all made mistakes in this mess. As I told you earlier. This isn't all on you. If I hadn't let my jealousy and temper get the best of me I wouldn't have gone to prison and we would probably have gotten married in Vegas. So stop blaming yourself for everything. I've said some horrible stuff to you these past few weeks that I really regret. Like usual I let my emotions and my anger get the best of me. Plus I do have to be just a little mad at you Robert about one thing."

Both Robert and Liv raised their eyebrows at that last statement.

"It wasn't until earlier today after you left here that Adam fully explained that whole night to me. I'm a little mad that you let me believe that everything that happened that night was of your doing and we now all know that isn't the case. So it's time to start giving yourself a break Rob because the rest of us are fully forgiving you. At least I am."

"So am I" said Liv as she squeezed his hand.

"Same here mate." 

Robert just looked at all three of them and felt more tears starting to flow. It was hard for him to believe he could produce anymore tears but here they came. All Robert could do was wipe them away, shake his head a little and sit down next to Liv and try to catch his breath. He was feeling tons of weight lifting from his shoulders but he still knew not everything perfectly fine. Finally he was able to get his emotions back under control and then looked at Liv.

"I have agreed with your brother and Adam to check myself in to the mental health ward as soon as we leave here. My heads not in a good place right now. I was planning on doing some pretty horrible stuff tonight before these two stopped me. I don't know how long it will take me to get better or if I even can but I promise to work at it. Thank you for forgiving me. I love you and Aaron more than anything in this world and if there is anyway to work back to what we had before all of this I'll do whatever my part is to get us there. But I know that isn't a guarantee. She and that baby...." Aaron quietly coughs at Robert. "I mean my son are still out there. My mistake isn't going away just because I wish it to and I would never just assume you both will just forgive and forget. But thank you for this so far. I still don't think I deserve it but I'll take it."

Liv leaned over and kissed Robert's cheek while Aaron came around the bed and dropped to his knees beside Robert. He first looked at Liv and then turned back to Rob.

"We never stopped loving you. We got mad. We both felt hurt. We both felt at the time all we could do was walk away. We both have said things to you we didn't mean and really regret. But through it all we never stopped loving you and I guess that will be our starting point. Our little family has a bunch of problems to figure out and work through but we love each other. Right." 

With that Aaron stuck out his arm and place his hand on the side of Liv's bed like it was a team huddle at a ballgame. Liv recognized what he was doing and placed her hand on top of Aaron's. They both then looked at Robert who was looking back and forth at both of them with a little trepidation then smiled and placed both of his hand on top of theirs followed by Aaron and Liv's other hand. Then three big grins turned into laughter that got louder and louder to the point they were suddenly startled with a rap on the window by the nurse who then tapped her watch to let them time was up.

"All right, you ready Rob?"

Robert leaned over and whispered something very quietly into Liv's ear and then stuck his pinky finger out and they gave each other a pinky swear. Aaron and Adam watch with a quizzical look wondering what Rob had said but had smiles regardless. Rob then kissed her forehead and the tip of her nose. She just smiled and nodded.   
"I love you kiddo. I'll see you when I see you."

"Luv ya Rob always. Oh and you two. You make sure you tell them they better take care of my brother or I'm coming after them."

With that the three men smiled and left Liv's room and headed to the mental health unit. After Robert explained why he was there he was checked in but before they took him they gave him a moment with the two men that had brought him.

The three men just smiled at each other then it was Adam who reached out first and gave Robert a hug.

"That's from me and Vic. We'll both be right there for you whenever you need us."

Then Aaron grabbed Robert's hand with both of his and rubbed the top of it. This has always been a way to calm Robert down and it had the same affect now. Then Aaron also gave Robert a hug and a kiss on the cheek. But as he let go of Robert's hand he reached up and pulled Robert's face to him and kissed him on the lips. He held the kiss for the longest time until he had to break free to take a breath. While still holding Rob's cheeks with both of his hands Aaron smiles and looks directly into Robert's eyes.

"I love you Mr. Dingle. I always have and I always will. I'll be here everyday they let me see you. We're going to get through this and be just fine. We'll go to counseling to get help in figuring out what we need to figure out. I want our family back Rob and I'm going to do whatever I have to with you to get it back. Ok? "

With that Robert was escorted into the ward and as the metal doors locked he looked through the windows one more time and mouthed to Aaron that he loved him. Aaron just smiled and watched until Robert was out of sight. They were going to be alright. Messed up together, forever.


End file.
